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| Staff Writer |
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Il Miracolo is ready to fire a big shot in Saturday's US$12,000,000 Gr.1 Dubai World Cup according to trainer Antonio Sano, who believes his charge has turned a corner since his last run.
The son of top US sire Gun Runner - second behind the remarkable Arrogate in the 2017 World Cup - is a Group Three winner at ages three and four and was last seen finishing down the field behind the re-opposing Mixto in the Gr.1 Pacific Classic (2000m) at Del Mar last September.
"He has settled in very well and I am very happy with him," said Sano, one of the all-time winningest trainers in Venezuela. "After his last race, we gave him three months on the farm and he's a different horse."
Owner Eduardo Soto said it was "an honour" to be invited to compete in the World Cup, but that Il Miracolo isn't here just for the scenery.
"I think he's going to run well," he said. "And I believe that the stars have aligned for us. We will see on Saturday."
Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, who rode the recently deceased Roses In May to win the World Cup at old Nad Al Sheba some two decades ago, is at the controls on Saturday.
Sano was also the trainer of Gunnevera, who finished eighth to Thunder Snow in the 2018 renewal before improving to third to the same rival, beaten just two and a half lengths, 12 months later.
Ryusei Sakai was a man in demand during the first hour of trackwork and among his big-race mounts for Saturday, none carries more weight of expectation than Forever Young.
After working for five furlongs upsides with Dubai Golden Shaheen runner American Stage, Sakai said of Forever Young: "He breezed in a good rhythm. He reacted well on the bridle."
Sakai was also in the plate on recent Gr.3 Neom Turf (2100m) winner Shin Emperor for a five-furlong spin on the main dirt track, and observed: "He moved and reacted well."
Arguably a more consequential piece of work was that of Gr.1 Tokyo Yushun winner Danon Decile, who managed to stay just ahead of Al Quoz Sprint challenger Puro Magic in a breeze around the turn and up the home straight on the turf track under jockey Keita Tosaki.
"He was in very good form," said Tosaki. "He stretched his legs well when I asked him on the home straight. The turf track suits him, and we have responsibility here as a Japanese Derby winner."
In a usual year, James McDonald would have been at Rosehill Racecourse in Australia on Tuesday, riding in a rescheduled Group One meeting down under.
Instead, while that meeting was taking place thousands of miles away, McDonald was at Meydan guiding his old partner Romantic Warrior through his final turf gallop ahead of Saturday's US$5,000,000 Gr.1 Dubai Turf.
"He's excellent, he hasn't missed a beat," McDonald said. "The guys who live and breathe him every day, they're very happy with him. He's taken everything in his stride.
"He seems a lot more relaxed here in Dubai than he was in Saudi Arabia. Obviously, he's probably in Riyadh for a lot shorter time than he is here, so he's had time to just be here. He's relaxed. Even in his work, he's a lot more relaxed."
To the eye, the turf gallop appeared a leisurely stroll; the Hong Kong champion having a cruise around the Meydan track that has been his home for much of the last four months. However, there were signs that it was a more vigorous assignment than it first appeared.
Romantic Warrior's final 400m was clocked in 23.34 seconds, with his last 200m in a brisk 11.67 seconds. He left his regular lead horse Romantic Charm well and truly in his dust, the companion trailing more than 100 metres behind at the end of the work.
McDonald arrived in Dubai on Monday and will make his Dubai World Cup meeting debut on Saturday.
"He usually works well, he does what he has to do, and he just enjoys it," he said. "Hence why he's such a good horse. He loves his work; thrives on a bit of pressure and he's all guns blazing.
"I'm just lucky to be a small part of his journey and it's definitely worthwhile being here to partner him, even if it means missing a big day or two back home."
From the finest horses in Europe last season, trainer Clive Cox gave confidence that Ghostwriter can make his presence felt on the Dubai Turf.
The Jeff Smith-owned, a Group Two winner as a juvenile, was fourth in last year's 2,000 Guineas behind Notable Speech, third to the brilliant City of Troy in both the Eclipse Stakes and the Juddmonte International and fifth behind Economics in the Irish Champion Stakes, not beaten far on any occasion.
"I think he's strengthened more again from three to four. His form last year was hugely consistent throughout," Cox said. "We've had a nice prep home back in England and I'm very happy with his whole outlook and that hopefully he can replicate what he showed last year, and if he's a bit stronger, a little bit more."
Ghostwriter had a gentle canter of the dirt track on Tuesday, keeping close to the Aidan O'Brien-trained Continuous.
Already a favourite among the photographers, Facteur Cheval was once again on good terms with himself as he made an easy tour of the main track, while his trainer Jerome Reynier was equally entertaining in front of the international media.
Asked whether the one-turn 1800 metres at Meydan provided the ideal setup for last year's Dubai Turf winner, Reynier said: "You can't say anything other than that because he won his only Group One over this trip, so yes I would say that is the key!
"He doesn't mind anything, he can go on heavy or soft ground, he won his only Group One on firm and over this trip."
While lauding Facteur Cheval's adaptability, Reynier did zero in on one aspect of the test he faces on Saturday which he believes will play particularly to the 6YO Ribchester gelding's strengths.
"He accelerates with the right leg so when he changes legs coming out of the turn, he can really show a strong turn of foot on the right leg," said Reynier.
"So, I prefer him going over a lefthanded course over a righthanded course, but he's done everything. He needs to produce the same performance as last year to be competitive this year, but I've got no doubt he will answer once again."
While Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Straight No Chaser brings a fresh element to the Gr.1 Golden Shaheen (1200m), the first, third and fourth from the 2024 edition are all back for another crack.
The Koichi Shintani-trained Remake was sent off as joint-favourite for the race 12 months ago but was slowly away and then got plenty of buffeting from tiring rivals as he made up ground into a never-nearer fourth.
Frankie Dettori will wear the red and blues silks of owner Koji Maeda - carried to victory at Meydan by Remake's sire Lani in the 2016 UAE Derby - and the veteran Italian-born rider will have been heartened by film of the 6YO going through the gears on the main track.
Masafumi Matsuda, a Shintani stable representative said: "He was very strong and hard to hold in a good way. He is ready for the race"
Compatriot American Stage will represent the ever-present Yoshito Yahagi and breezed five furlongs in company with the stable's World Cup challenger, Forever Young.
"He moved well and has improved from his last appearance" said Yukihiko Araki, stable representative.
British Sprinters Primed For US$1,500,000 Gr.1 Al Quoz Sprint
George Scott's British challenger West Acre has been one of the stories of the UAE season with his stellar victories in the Gr.2 Blue Point Sprint and the Gr.3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint.
Daniel Tudhope deputised for his weekend rider Callum Shepherd in partnering West Acre in a piece of work on the Meydan training track, with the pair breezing steadily over 1200m on the turf to the satisfaction of connections.
Heart Of Honor is now a familiar name at Meydan having raced on the track four times already, and the gallant runner-up in the UAE 2000 Guineas and the Al Bastakiya is a leading contender this weekend.
His trainer Jamie Osborne was back in Dubai to see the colt continue his build-up with routine exercise on the dirt course.
"Very happy with him," Osborne said. "He just had a light canter, his work's done and he's not going to do a lot between now and Saturday. He did a good bit of work last Friday and we're just going to taper down a bit."
The David O'Meara-trained Epic Poet will be out to return to winning ways in Meydan and avenge a galling defeat in last month's Red Sea Turf Handicap in Saudi Arabia.
Jockey Daniel Tudhope had no luck in running in Riyadh, waiting for the gaps and closing into second behind Byzantine Dream when they finally came.
"He can be quite lazy so that should be perfect, he's pretty much done now," Tudhope said after taking Epic Poet around the dirt track, stretching out over 1600m and breezing the final 1000m.
"It was a cracking run [in Saudi Arabia]," Tudhope added. "He was a bit unlucky and maybe he would have won in different circumstances, but he hasn't put a foot wrong all year and goes there with every chance.
"He's been out here all season, which is an advantage fitness-wise. We had always thought he was a mile and half [2400m], mile and six [2800m] horse but he definitely stays. We'll just hope for a bit of luck."
The Dubai World Cup night may boast several short-priced favourites, but the Gr.2 Godolphin Mile stands apart as a genuinely competitive affair with 14 runners heading to post and the betting market showing no clear standout.
Among the leading contenders are Mufasa, the last horse to defeat White Abarrio; Raging Torrent, fresh from victory in the Malibu Stakes; and France's all-weather specialist No Lunch.
Racing under the blistering Dubai sun, with temperatures expected to exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit, this international cast faces physical conditions as challenging as the competition itself when lining up for the second Thoroughbred race on the card.
International form experts are struggling to separate Raging Torrent, trained by Doug O'Neill; Mufasa, now under the care of top local handler Bhupat Seemar; and No Lunch, with American connections strongly represented among the market principals.
Raging Torrent, a 4YO Maximus Mischief colt, arrives with impressive momentum for O'Neill, a seasoned campaigner at the Dubai carnival. The American raider has claimed four victories from his last five starts, his only setback being a seventh-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Sprint. His most recent success came in the Gr.1 Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita Park on December 26.
Having excelled at six and seven furlongs, Raging Torrent faces the challenge of stretching out to the mile distance. Frankie Dettori, who partnered him to victory in the Malibu, retains the ride.
"We circled the Godolphin Mile after the Malibu," said O'Neill, targeting a third win in the race following Two Rivers Over last year and Spring At Last in 2007 when racing was held at the old Nad Al Sheba course.
O'Neill expressed confidence about the distance, noting, "He's got that six-furlong sort of speed and he can stay a mile. Having Frankie in the saddle, arguably one of the best of all time, it's a great asset."
Mufasa, a 6YO son of Practical Joke, built his reputation in Chile before joining trainer Ignacio "Nacho" Correas IV for the 2024 campaign. His American form includes victory in the Gr.3 Vosburgh Stakes at Belmont at the Big A meeting in September, before finishing 11th in the Gr.1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar.
His standout performance came when winning the Gr.3 Mr. Prospector Stakes at Gulfstream Park on December 28, defeating White Abarrio by 1¼ lengths. Since that defeat, White Abarrio has recorded impressive victories in the Gr.1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes and the Gr.3 Ghostzapper Stakes, giving the form a significant boost. Little Vic, third in the Mr. Prospector for trainer Juan Avila, also lines up in Dubai.
Completing the trio of market leaders, No Lunch is a 4YO grey son of Dubawi trained by Christophe Ferland. He brings a three-race winning sequence, all achieved on all-weather surfaces – two at Cagnes-sur-Mer in southern France and most recently at Chantilly.
The draw has handed all three fancied runners relatively wide starting positions, with Raging Torrent in gate 3, Mufasa 10, and No Lunch 13. They'll break from the short chute before entering the long back straight of Meydan's dirt track.
Musabbeh Al Mheiri has enjoyed a superb season and is hoping to cap it off with a positive performance from two major runners on Dubai World Cup night.
The trainer is just one behind Michael Costa in the race for the Emirates Racing Authority trainers' championship with 37 wins and has the chance to add to his tally on Saturday.
He said: "I have had a good season, and I am second in the trainers' championship. I think I could easily still have a chance of winning. I'm going to try my best."
The trainer is hoping Qareeb, who completed a lap around Meydan's dirt course on Tuesday, can build on a promising season in the Godolphin Mile.
The powerful chestnut was second in the Al Maktoum Mile in December before finishing an excellent fourth behind Dubai World Cup hopes Walk Of Stars and Imperial Emperor in the Gr.1 Al
A win in the Gr.3 Jebel Ali Mile (1600m) the following month marked a new career best, while he is expected to appreciate the step back to a mile after running over the 2000m of the Al Maktoum Classic at the beginning of March.
"Qareeb has improved, he's a very good horse," Mheiri said. "He is a very good local horse, but now he will run against the international horses who have come for this race. It will be a stronger race.
"His recent performances on track have been very good. Every time he's run he's improved. His last gallop was very good.
"He did his last serious piece of work on Saturday, and we will give him one half-pace piece of work before the race."
Also, in with a chance of enhancing Mheiri's championship claims is Djafar, who will take on new conditions in the Kahayla Classic for Purebred Arabians.
"Djafar is a grass horse but he's going to run on the dirt," Mheiri said. "There will be very strong challengers against him. He's in good form; the only problem will be the surface."